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Bhakta Nandanar
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Wikipedia article
'Bhakta Nandanar' is a 1935 Tamil-language film directed by Manik Lal Tandon. It marked the cinematic debut of the carnatic singer and stage artist K. B. Sundarambal. She was paid a then unprecedented 100,000 (equivalent of 60 million (2013 prices)) as salary for this film. This was also the first film for Ellis R. Dungan. No print of the film is known to survive, making it a lost film.
Plot
The story is based on the life of Nandanar (also known as Thirunaalai Povar 'thee who pilgrims tomorrow') and his becoming of a Naayanar.
Cast
*K. B. Sundarambal as Nandanar
*Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer as Vedhiyar
Production
and Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer in Nandanar
K. B. Sundarambal had retired from stage performances in 1932 after the death of her husband S. G. Kittappa. Hassandas, a textile magnate from Madras and a member of Chellaram business family was keen on making a film with Sundarambal in the lead. She was initially reluctant to star in the film and refused even the recommendation of her mentor S. Satyamurti. Hassandas persisted and to discourage him she offered to act in the film if he could pay One lakh Rupees. Hassandas agreed to pay her and the film was made.[https://web.archive.org/web/20080609131008/http://www.hindu.com/cp/2008/06/06/stories/2008060650321600.htm Blast From the Past Nava Yuvan (1937), The Hindu 6 June 2008]
The film was directed by Manik Lal Tandon with Ellis Dungan shooting many scenes in his absence. Sundarambal was cast as a man the untouchable saint Nandanar. The same story had earlier been the subject of a 1932 Tamil film of the same name. Carnatic musician Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer was cast as the landlord Vedhiyar. He was paid 3000 Rs as salary. The script had a scene where Iyer's character would prostrate before Nandanar. Due to the prevailing social norms and her respect for Iyer, Sundarambal refused to do the scene. Director Tandon filmed a compromise by changing the scene such that both prostrated before each other. The completed film cost to make and was 18000 feet long. Tunes of three songs from the 1934 Hindi film 'Chandidas ' were reused in this film.
Reception
The film was released in 1935 amid great expectations from the public. It failed at the box office and received mixed reviews from the critics. Kalki Krishnamurthy made fun of it in 'Ananda Vikatan' by claiming buffaloes and palm trees had acted well in the film. He wrote the number one actor in the film was the coconut tree, number two was the buffalo and number three, the kid goat. The Tamil newspaper 'Dina Mani' also gave it an unfavourable review. Writing in the April 1938 issue of the 'Eelakesari', Pudhumaipithan explained the reasons for its failure:
However it received favourable reviews in 15 July 1935 issues of The Hindu, 'Tamil Nadu', 'Sudesamithran' and 'Cinema Ulagam'. Viswanatha Iyer was criticised by conservative brahimins of his hometown Kumbakonam for acting in the film.
References
Category:1935 films
Category:Indian biographical films
Category:1930s Tamil-language films
Category:Films about social class
Category:Lost Indian films
Category:1930s biographical films
Category:Indian black-and-white films
Category:1935 lost films
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